Solar

No form of energy on the planet is available in more abundance than solar energy. In only one hour, the sun beams enough energy onto the surface of the earth to satisfy the entire world's population energy needs for more than a year.

Solar energy can be harnessed in a number of ways: solar thermal and solar photovoltaic panels are used to heat air or water and generate electricity, respectively. The sun’s rays can be reflected, concentrated, and focused onto a point to drive a sterling engine, a heat engine that is driven by temperature difference. Buildings designed to maximize interior solar gain can be kept warm with very little or no assistance from a mechanical heating system, even in the cold Nova Scotian climate. Because solar energy is so plentiful, renewable, and clean, it’s no wonder that solar power has been gaining such popularity in recent years, especially considering the dramatic fall in the price of many solar technologies (for example, the price of solar photovoltaic panels has dropped more than 60% since 2011).

Digby County has some of the better photovoltaic potential in Nova Scotia (see map), and numerous residents have installed solar photovoltaic or solar thermal systems on their homes. For now, solar power does not qualify for the Nova Scotia Community Feed-In Tariff program (COMFIT) which would allow for revenue generation from selling solar electricity to the grid.